noun
1 official who controls a game
ADJECTIVE
▪ basketball , boxing , football , soccer ( esp. AmE ), etc.
▪ match ( esp. BrE ), meet ( AmE ), tournament
▪
decisions taken by the tournament ~
▪ international
▪ top
▪ professional ( esp. BrE )
▪
my 20 years as a professional ~
▪ assistant (in football/soccer)
▪
an assistant ~ flagged for a penalty
▪ guest ( esp. AmE )
▪
He was acting as a guest ~ in the main wrestling event.
REFEREE + VERB
▪ award sb sth
▪
The ~ awarded a free kick to the home team.
▪ blow his/her/the whistle
▪ stop sth
▪ book sb , send sb off (both in football/soccer) (both BrE )
▪
The ~ booked three players for offensive behaviour.
PHRASES
▪ the referee's decision
2 ( BrE ) recommends sb for a job ⇨ See also ↑ reference
ADJECTIVE
▪ academic
VERB + REFEREE
▪ act as , be
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ for
▪
His former employer agreed to act as a ~ for him.